Every summer we would go blueberry picking at the summer cottage. This meant that in the spring the blueberry bushes would need to be pruned while the bushes are not yet in full bloom. In the spring problems can be seen very easily.
Pruning blueberry bushes means removing dead or dying branches in the bushes. It means weeding out nettles, and other plants that tend to grow in, around and overgrow blueberry bushes. It means removing fungus or diseased parts of the bushes. It also means cutting out branches without blossoms because they would not produce berries. We wanted to allow the energy of the blueberry bush to produce blueberries, not just leaves.
Even as the berries began to appear in early summer, we would continue to cut back branches that had no berries to encourage berry producing branches. That's how we always got a bumper crop each summer.
In our personal lives, we need to prune our activities so that unproductive things don't get in the way of what we need to do. Do you involve the holy spirit before you make an important decision, or are you thinking "I've got this…" and then later on wonder how things get so messed up.
In order to get the most done we often have to forgo things we enjoy in order to be productive. This small sacrifice helps us get the things we need to do done…
We have all known people that violated this simple principle and suffered the consequences. A good friend of mine got involved with video games, for example, that took him away from the Word of God. We need to keep God as our number one priority.
Matthew 6:31-33 31Therefore take no thought (don't get all anxious and worried), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?… 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Keeping God number one in your life will keep it in balance. Let God do his job, which is to take care of you, and it will be easier to do your job. Keep your priorities straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 5Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Pruning our thoughts and our activities from bad habits really helps us stay on top of our lives. Don't be afraid to make hard choices and say no to things.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
It's does not always mean you have to get rid of a thing. It is always your freedom of will to make your own decisions, right? But with God's direction and advice is great wisdom. Sometimes you may just have to wait and do that thing you really wanted to do later. Be patient, you will eventually get that desire of your heart. Don't jump the gun. Do things God's way.
James 1:2-5 2My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Now you may be wondering what the fruit is that you are encouraging to grow. What is the fruit in your life that you are trying to encourage? It is the fruit of the spirit we are trying to cultivate:
Galatians 5:22-23 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Wouldn't you like to see a bumper crop of these?
We see in the Old Testament that many times Israel was asked to get rid of idolatrous things. Are things that different now? Just because we don't have a statue to bow down to it doesn't mean our culture is idol free. Many things can pollute our worship of God. Today there are many idolatrous doctrines of science, idolatrous doctrines of politics, even idolatrous doctrines of theology.
Sometimes we need to get rid of things (or ideas, or even people) out of our lives that tempt us to sin. A recovering alcoholic or a recovering smoker - or even a dieter get rid of the items they are addicted to or tempted by. We should follow the same practice with our temptations or bad habits.
I've made difficult decisions too. My great aunt left me an exquisite Chinese desk when she died. She had been a nurse in the air force. She brought this desk back from the Orient when she completed her tour of duty there. She personally left it to me because she knew I liked it. I loved desk very much because it was handsome. However, one day I recognized Buddhist symbols carved into the decorations in the desk and I knew that I couldn't keep it. It was an idolatrous object. As much as I loved the desk I had to give it away.
Remember the parable of the sower and the seed? If a seed grows up among the thorns does it produce a good crop? Weeding the garden or pruning the tree serve the same purpose. We want that love, joy, peace, etc from a good spiritual crop. We don't want it choked from our lives.
Matthew 13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: Matthew 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Sometimes it is God himself who takes the pruning initiative. We have this parable in John 15.
John 15:1-4 1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
In the Grace Administration, we have the promise of salvation, so we are not in danger of losing eternal life in that regards. Nonetheless there are certain consequences for not standing. We can lose rewards, lose friends, we can suffer lack, illness, and other things consequential to disobedience.
God can also take the initiate to prune us with the truth. He can cut off one direction for us as a waste of time or money because he has another path for us to take. It is sometimes hard to take or hard to understand. You really wanted to marry that person or you really wanted to pursue that career.path. God had something or somebody better in mind.
NIV Hebrews 12:11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it
God is all wise and all knowing. Trust his judgment. Jesus Christ endured the cross and suffered the shame for the joy that was set before him. Jesus knew there was something on the other side of the cross. God had Jesus's best interest in mind as well, not just ours. He would be second only to God. What a promise! No wonder he had joy. God doesn't do things for no reason.
James 3:1-4 1But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. 3For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
I experienced a pruning that was difficult for me at the time. It was the middle of February 2020 and restrictions suddenly were in place for the COVID 19 pandemic. I was in the middle of a move. I had to get rid of an apartment full of furniture because I was moving into a bedroom at a friend's house.
People would not come over to look at my furniture to buy it, but I had only a short window to get rid of it all. I certainly wasn't going to rent a storage space. I knew spiritually what I had to do: give it all away. "But God," I thought, "I could use the money…"
I listed it all on a site for free and got rid of everything in time. God took care of my heart, too. Do you know that most the people who came to pick up things were very, very thankful and told me how much an item was needed? It helped my heart.
The biggest benefit of all is that now I get to live with the most wonderful believer who is such a big blessing to me. I enjoy such peace, joy, and contentment living here. Doing things God's way will do that for you. ÿ